Here's the issue. I have a screen now. (1st photo below) it has two problems:
1- Our wood pops a lot and occasionally will pop a hot cinder over the top of the screen
2- It is heavy and awkward to use.

Second photo shows the opening. The opening is 42" wide x 41" high. The stone "casing" is 7" wide.

It seems that a single panel screen with hinges (on the left) that would fit flat against the stone would be easy to open and close and eliminate the problem of an open top, might be a good solution?

Can any of your screens be ordered like that - strong enough to be hinged to the stone on one side? It would have to be custom size with an arched top.

Do you think the flat fit might interfere with the Rumford operation?

Thanks

Curt Grina
Woodland Park, CO

Curt,

Lovely fireplace. Looks as if you did everything right - Rumford, nice stone work, double return and tipi fire. Where did you get the screen you have? Our sources will only make three panel screens 36" tall.

Solutions that come to mind:

1) We could do what you suggest. The flat screens at http://www.rumford.com/store/screens.html#other are inexpensive, arched top and probably lighter than your three panel screen. We've never tried to hinge them, but it's probably strong enough. We could come up with a surface mounted hinge and I can't see that it would interfere with the performance of the Rumford.

2) Keep your screen and set it closer to the fireplace opening when not in the room to control the sparks flying out over the top.

3) Install our new bi-fold screen doors pictured at http://www.rumford.com/store/screens.html that are hinged so are easier to open and close and can be made with an arch top.

4) A Boston spark guard at http://www.rumford.com/store/screens.html#bsg is traditional and light weight since it's only a wire screen. Doesn't come with an arched top though and awkward to store when you don't want it in front of the fireplace.

5) The draw screens at http://www.rumford.com/store/screens.html#draw might work. I've never liked draw screens that bunch up at the sides but now we have a guy who makes nice rings and forged finials pictured in the bottom two pictures. I could see it surface mounted on your inner surround. Again, not arched.

I don't know what I would do if it were my fireplace. I like the elegant simple appearance of your fireplace without a screen. I'd probably look for better firewood, get a hearth rug to protect the floor from sparks and live with the three-panel screen but wish I had gone to the expense and trouble of installing the bi-fold screen.

Let me know what you want to do. In the meanwhile may I put the picture of your Rumford on the website? And can you tell me who the mason/builder/architect was?